When forming a monocoque vehicle body, or the like, individual upstanding panel members may be spaced along a body wall and joined together at each pair of adjacent vertical edges through the utilization of stiffener structure which may be in the form of a channel member. In addition, each panel member may include structure which stiffens the panel member and the various panel members, when properly joined together and to a subframe, form a body construction which is self-supporting and adds to the over-all strength of the subframe. However, some monocoque body constructions are preferably exteriorly or interiorly substantially smooth and some body constructions are purposely perforated for air circulation. These requirements present difficulties in constructing a monocoque body retaining its strength and stiffness. Accordingly, a need exists for an improved monocoque body construction which may be either exteriorly or interiorly smooth and which may include wall perforations which increase wall panel stiffness.
Examples of previously known forms of monocoque body constructions as well as other similar structures, including some of the general structural and operational features of the instant invention, are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos.2,384,965, 2,400,253, 2,459,765, 2,901,283 and 3,380,216.